The Money Pit Home Improvement Podcast

SHOW NOTES: College parents beware, we are about to enter “silly season” when real estate agents press young, inexperienced students to sign leases that are chock full of ridiculous requirements, and stiff fines and fees that anyone renting outside of a college town would find ludicrous. We’ll tell you what to look for to prepare your young renters from these predatory practices. As the end of sum...

SHOW NOTES: With fall approaching, and you might be wondering if replacing old or drafty windows is a wise move. We walk you through 7 key questions to ask yourself to determine if this project is right for you. Painting seems like a simple DIY project but that’s exactly why it is even more frustrating than ever when your painting project comes out badly. We’ll share pro painting tips to help. As...

SHOW NOTES: Your house is your biggest investment – but how much, exactly, should you set aside for the cost of home maintenance? We share a simple formula to help you determine what that is. Floors need to handle wear and tear and be easy to clean. But when you have pets, that durability raises to a whole new level! We’ll share what you need to know to choose pet friendly floors that can handle t...

SHOW NOTES: (Episode Summary, and Links) Have you ever taken a shower and received a blast of water that was freezing cold or scalding hot? That’s what we call shower shock! Tom explains exactly why this happens and how to stop the shower-shock for good. By now, garages are usually a mess of toys, tools and toxins like lawn chemicals and paints – all of which are too close to each other for comfor...

SHOW NOTES: Painting your kitchen cabinets is one of the most popular ways to update a kitchen. But can this DIY project deliver the same level of beauty and durability of a factory applied finish? It can - if we get the painting steps right! Tom & Leslie walk you through what you need to know to get Instagram worthy results!  If a vacation home is out of reach… you might want to consider GLAMPING...

SHOW NOTES: Buying new lawn furniture this summer was a challenge due to the disruption of the pandemic. That's why now may be a good time to build your own. We’ll help by walking you through how to build one of the most iconic pieces of outdoor furniture, the Adirondack chair, including a source for detailed step-by-step plans to build your own Adirondack Chair. If you’ve taken on paint projects,...

SHOW NOTES: Post pandemic, 65 percent of people house hunting demand one feature more than any other. The pandemic has changed a lot about how we buy things and that includes what we look for in a new home! We share the list of new home buyer demands. If you’ve ever taken on a tiling project, you may know that some of the more inconvenient parts of the project are that it’s messy and takes DAYS be...

SHOW NOTES: Replacing your garage door can be a simple and affordable project that delivers a 94% return on investment when the house is sold. Get tips on the many styles, colors and designs for garage doors and how to choose from and how to a garage door that rights for you. As the saying goes, good fences make great neighbors. But as simple as it seems, adding a fence is something many DIY’rs ge...

SHOW NOTES: Consumer Reports is out with the Top Toilets for 2021!  We will flush out the details – including the very unusual way they test toilets using plastic balls, screws and sponges to simulate the real thing!  If you’re buying a new home, you’ll have lots of options to choose from. But many of these don’t really have to be done when the house is being built. We’ll tell you which upgrades m...

SHOW NOTES: Do you need more storage space? Who doesn’t! We’ll explain the many nooks and crannies where storage space hides that you may never have thought of! Breathing fresh clean air inside your home is more important today than ever. But during these hot “dog days” of summer, you don’t have to throw open windows and let in hot humid air to get it! We’ll share easy ways to make sure the air IN...

Show notes: Every summer, the #1 danger for children is drowning! Tom & Leslie share a pool safety system you can put in place to help makes sure that tragedy never strikes close to home. It’s National Garage Sales Day and that time of year when millions of folks transform their garages and yards into a storefront to get rid of the junk they no longer want! whether you need to clear garage clutter...

SHOW NOTES: Want to refresh your home with new décor but aren’t sure if your budget is ready to handle the hit. We’ll share 5 ways to save lots of money decorating your home sweet home. The real estate market is very hot and for first time home buyers, that makes it even tougher to find an affordable house. We’ll share new data on the best and worst markets for first time buyers. Window screens le...

SHOW NOTES: During summer’s hottest months, buying a pool may seem like a pretty good idea. But several pool pitfalls that can lead to a real financial soaking. Tom & Leslie share dos and don’ts. If you’ve ever picked up lumber for a project that measure 2 by anything (like 2x4, 2x8 and so on) did you ever notice that the wood actually measures a lot less? We’ll share what happens to all that miss...

SHOW NOTES: Learn how to keep your lawn green and healthy through the hottest months of the summer, plus how to handle droughts or water restrictions. Drain clogs can be a real hassle – but they don’t have to be complicated to free up. We’ll share quick solutions to get things flowing. If you love to grow herbs in your garden for cooking, many of the most popular also can be used as herbal medicin...

SHOW NOTES: Most kitchen renos are expensive. But there’s actually a lot you can do yourself over a single weekend that can deliver a big impact without a big budget. We share a checklist of low-cost kitchen remodeling projects that deliver the biggest impact. If your patio is worn, weathered or even cracked, we’ll share how to do a makeover using a new type of paver brick designed for remodeling...

SHOW NOTES: Spaces under outdoor decks can be dark, dirty wastelands! But with a deck ceiling, you can drain the rain and clean up the look below. We walk you through build-from-scratch and manufactured options to create a dry hangout space below an overhead decks. Finding a foundation crack can be quite disturbing, but not all cracks spell disaster! We’ll share how to sort out the minor from the...

Show notes: On a warm summer evening, there’s nothing better than sitting out on the porch… until the mosquitoes arrive! We’ve got tips on retractable screens to keep pesky pests away. Some home décor can practically guarantee you’ll lose money selling a home. We share the top 10 worst décor choices to avoid at all costs! The pandemic drove a surge of home buying from millennials, but it turns out...

Show notes: Have you made energy saving improvements that upped your home’s “green” factor? Those improvements can help you sell your home quickly and for top dollar. Tom & Leslie explain why and share tips to create your own green home improvement inventory. Kitchen backsplashes are a great way to keep the walls behind your counters clean – but they can also be a fun and affordable project to do...

SHOW NOTES: Do you feel like your A/C just isn’t doing the job it should? We’ll share a trick of the trade you can use to test your air conditioning, so you’ll know exactly how well it’s performing, or if it’s wasting your cold hard cash. Painting is a project that’s among the most basic of DIY projects, and one most homeowners are happy to tackle themselves. But it’s also a project that can go te...

SHOW NOTES: Every summer deck collapses are tragically common. We’ll share the top 5 reasons decks fall down along with tips on how to do a safety check your own deck. If your last electric bill a real shocker you’ll be happy to hear that utility companies are required to offer programs to help you save money and use LESS of their product! We’ll have advice on how to best take advantage of that sa...

SHOW NOTES: Want to update your kitchen this summer? Updating the layout at the same time can deliver updated functionality and flow. Tom & Leslie share tips for kitchen layouts that bring in some new feng-shui and make the space more functional.  Are you bracing for you next big cooling bill of the summer? We’ll highlight new technology that can keep you cool and cut your costs at the same time....

Show Notes: A tree in your landscape can be a thing of beauty. But after it’s gone, the stump left behind - not so much. We show you easy ways to get rid of stumps for very little cost. Planning on painting your home this summer. Choosing the right colors can make a huge impact on its appearance and value. We’ll share tips for picking the perfect paint colors for outside projects. If you’re a rent...

Show Notes: Want to outsmart would-be burglars with more than just a fake rock. Tom and Leslie share the sneakiest hiding spots to store house keys outside. Wondering what projects were popular during the pandemic? We highlight the most popular YouTube videos about projects people were making with just a bag of concrete. Have summer storms damage your roof? Find out how to get your insurance compa...

Are your kitchen cabinets tired and worn? Tom and Leslie tell you how to choose new cabinets that’ll step up the space and not blow the budget. If you’re thinking about an outdoor project, and love the sound of a babbling brook, we’re going to tell you how to create your very own water feature for your yard Ready to take on an outdoor paint project? We’ll highlight new paint sprayers that makes pa...

Show Notes: Backyard decks can bring added value to your home but costly mistakes can quickly take that away. Get tips on building the best deck for your yard. Bathrooms renos are one where you need to get the design decisions done right, the first time to stay on schedule and on budget! We’ll walk you through what you need to know. Do you experience tripped circuits a little more often than you’d...